Re: [Raypp-general] Re: SURFACE interface

[Martin R. <ma...@MP...>]

Hi!

> Here are important parts inline (and I attached it again):

Thanks, now that I'm subscribed I get the attachments too.

> I used a approach slightly different to your Get_MC_xxx_Dir methods.
> My functions ("general ray" is probably not a very good name...) get a
> parameter (Uni), which is "warped" into the right probability distribution.
> This approach has the advantage that different sampling methods (random,
> regular grid, jittered) can be used by the caller.

I see.

> And I do not have a Get_MC_Diffuse_Dir equivalent, I assume these
> rays to be distributed equally over the whole hemisphere.

That is a model assumption which I wouldn't like to make. If we want
to do Monte Carlo tracing for diffuse radiation, we should add this method.

> For my path tracer implementation I also needed the Get_xxx_Percent
> methods (could be merged into one method). These numbers are needed
> to decide which next-level ray to shoot (using the "Russian roulette"
> method).

Alternatively we could let the surface itself decide whether to trace a
diffuse, reflected or refracted ray. That would be the most general solution,
but it interferes badly with your option to control the sampling.

> For photon tracing I additionally needed the Get_BRDF method.

I need some time to understand how this works, but it should be OK.

Cheers,
   Martin